Need Assistance on Paggan

[Rohit]

Ok so I was having a discussion with a few people at my university and we were talking about dancing and bhangra came up. They had an idea of doing a themed dance (not for a direct bhangra comp but a fusion comp) where the turlay of the paggan would be represented as umm needles or spikes u can say. For example if the theme was rockstars then the turla would represent the spiked mohawks rocker's have. But in any case the argument arouse as to why girls shouldn't wear paggan if we were using it in that context. I was in full out disagreement with it since well I am a very traditional minded dancer (when it comes to bhangra) and I didn't agree to it because well in my whole entire life neither have I ever seen anyone do it nor have I ever thought it to be proper. In the end I had won the battle but to what extent because my friends still didn't see the reasoning behind as to why it wouldn't look good but only gave up to accept my stubborness and to the thought maybe others might see it in the same context.
So I wanna know what the BTF community has to say to this. I would love to hear both sides people who agree with me and offer me a reason as to why I was right so in the future I may better defend such case and why I was wrong so as to maybe expand my horizons.

 

[kinnell]

I have no opinion in the matter because I accept that I am not educated enough to make a conscious decision.

However: http://fateh.sikhnet.com/s/TyingTurbans

There are videos of women wearing paagris.

 

[Rohit]

no i have seen women tie it just not for purposed of a bhangra performance other not including gidha

 

[ranjit singh]

religiously, females tie paggan.
culturally, they don't. bhangra is a cultural dance.
the only way it would make sense for females to tie paggan during a bhangra dance is if they were Amritdhari (e.g. Izzat Da Punjab)
personally, i think you did the right thing by dissuading your friends

 

[HarmanSingh]

I agree with Ranjit. Their are Amritdhari Kaurs who wear dastaars in their everyday lives as a personal choice (Sikh women are not required to wear Dastaars).

But as far as Punjabi culture goes, Punjabi women generally don't wear Pughs, and it would make no sense for the female performers to wear them on stage unless they wear them in everyday life.

 

[zagreus]

I agree with Ranjit and HarmanSingh on the issue of the pagg and females. If the girl herself doesn't normally wear a pagg in her daily life, then there is no need for girls to wear a BHANGRA pagg on stage.

as a spectator, that would actually more offend me if the pagg was used in any sort of mocking fashion, no matter the context, only the proper respect is required.

 

[kinnell]

QUESTION: Would you guys be offended if the turla was modified in anyway? I see turlas as more of a decoration, so would steering from the normal form be offensive? Just curious.

 

[Mukandpuria]

its offensive if you gut it...its like your cutting the pugg

 

[Saleem]

QUESTION: Would you guys be offended if the turla was modified in anyway? I see turlas as more of a decoration, so would steering from the normal form be offensive? Just curious.

I mean we've seen tie-dyed now, what sort of modifications??

 

[- Raja -]

tie-dyed is still nice but some teams just ruin the turla..sad

 

[JSahota]

i remember hearing sumthin like the reason we were paggs with the front turla, is it because it represents a male peacock dancing, because when they dance it opens its feathers in the shape of a turla, but the female peacock doesnt spread its feathers, so thas y girls dont have paggs with turlas. im not too sure if this is tru but this is what i was told

 

[Sher]

its offensive if you gut it...its like your cutting the pugg

I don't see anything wrong with cutting your pagh... its not like the cloth comes readily cut straight from god or anything. The tailor had to cut it and sometimes I cut my paghs before I wear them if they are too big and I know alot of other Sikhs that do the same.